Flood barrier system

ABSTRACT

A flood barrier system for temporarily sealing an opening in a wall structure against the inflow of flood waters. The system comprises a plurality of elongated, horizontally disposed barrier elements of a length somewhat greater than the width of the opening. The barrier elements are stacked vertically, one upon the other against the outer face of the wall structure. End clamps engage opposite ends of the individual barrier elements to press them snugly against the outer surface of the wall, providing seals along the opposite vertical side edges of the opening. The barrier elements incorporate a unique interlocking configuration that simplifies and expedites assembly of a flood barrier and strengthens the integrity of the assembled structure. Improved and simplified arrangements are provided for clamping the ends of the barrier elements and for applying downward pressure to the assembled barrier. The resulting structure is more economical to provide and maintain and is more quickly assembled in the often emergency circumstances in which it is required.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to co-pending Jason W. Smith U.S.application Ser. No. 11/391,110, filed Mar. 28, 2006, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

In certain areas, homes, offices and commercial and factory buildingsoccasionally are inundated by flood waters. To minimize damage fromrising flood waters, such structures can utilize temporary floodbarriers that are installed in low level door and window openings, toseal those openings against inflow of water into the structure. Variousbarrier systems are available for this purpose, with a wide variety ofdesign features dictated to some extent by the size of the opening to beprotected.

For the protection of a relatively wide doorway, for example, againstflood waters that may rise to a considerable level above the bottom ofthe door opening, the barrier system must have considerable structuralsoundness in order to effectively resist the pressure of water across awide area and at a relatively high level. One such system that iseffective for the purpose has been marketed by Presray Corporation, ofWassaic, N.Y. and consists of a series of horizontally elongated barrierelements (sometimes referred to as “stop logs”) which are assembled oneatop the other, extending laterally across the full width of the dooropening. The individual barrier elements are arranged so that oneelement is tightly sealed to each vertically adjacent element, and theindividual barrier elements are clamped against the front face of thedoor opening, providing a full perimeter seal and a strong structure tohold back the rising waters.

As can be appreciated, for many locations, flooding is an infrequentevent, perhaps an annual experience, or more likely, a situation thatoccurs only once every few years. Thus, it is typical and customary thatthe barrier systems are stored away during normal times, and installedonly when there is an immediate threat of inundation. However, whenflooding circumstances arise, there is much work to do in order to sealall of the openings available in a typical structure, and speed andefficiency of installation can be extremely important because all of thelow level openings must be sealed before the structure can be consideredprotected from inundation. In this respect, water flowing in through asingle unprotected opening, even though others are protected, caninundate the entire structure and cause great damage.

The above referenced co-pending application of Jason W. Smith representsa substantial improvement in the ability to install stop log type floodbarriers efficiently and quickly. The present invention seeks to providestill further improvements in such stop log barriers, to furtherfacilitate rapid installation thereof. The barrier of the presentinvention also provides an advantageous interlocking feature to addstrength to the structure and also to simplify and expedite installationand assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the flood barrier of the invention, a plurality of individual stoplog barrier elements are stacked one on top of the other, to apredetermined height suitable for the expected flood conditions. Theindividual barrier elements are clamped against a vertical sealing striplocated at opposite sides of the opening to be protected, and each ofthe barrier elements is provided with a resilient sealing element alongits bottom to form a seal with the underlying barrier element or, in thecase of the bottom most element, with the threshold of the opening. Theentire stack of barrier elements is subjected to downward pressure byvertically acting clamping elements at each side.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the individual barrierelements, which may be formed of extruded aluminum sections, are shapedsuch that each barrier element forms a novel mechanical interlock withthe barrier element below. The arrangement allows an upper barrierelement to be initially engaged with the element below and then pivotedinto an installed position in a simple and highly expeditious manner.This both facilitates the installation process and makes the assemblymore stable and secure while the installation is under way.

Pursuant to another aspect of the invention, the new barrier structureincorporates an advantageous form of vertical rail member at each sideof the opening to be protected. These rail members are formed with apair of vertically extending channels, one to receive a verticallyextending sealing element, and the other to receive a plurality ofslideably positioned clamping assemblies. For each barrier element, aclamping assembly can be slid into a properly aligned position, engagedwith a newly installed barrier element, and tightened against thebarrier element to maintain it in sealing contact with the verticallyextending sealing element. When a flood threat is over, the individualbarrier elements are unclamped and removed to a storage location. Inaddition, the individual clamping assemblies can be removed by slidingthem upward and out of the top of the channel that receives them, forstorage along with the barrier elements. Thus, during periods when thereis no flood threat, the only permanent installation remaining at theprotected opening is the presence of the two vertical rail members whichare rather unobtrusive and can be decorated or covered to blend with thebasic building structure.

The barrier structure of the invention also advantageously incorporatesa vertically acting clamping arrangement that is mounted above theuppermost barrier element, at each side thereof, arranged to beardownwardly on the entire stack of barrier elements to assure goodsealing pressure between vertically adjacent elements. In the structureof the present invention, such vertically acting clamping mechanisms areslideably installed and removed from the same vertical channels thatreceive the clamping assemblies. This enables the clamping arrangementsto be quickly installed after the last barrier element is in place, andjust as quickly removed and remotely stored when the flood threat hasterminated.

For a more complete understanding of the above and other features andadvantages of the invention, reference should be made to the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment, and to the accompanyingdrawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a building or likestructure having an opening in which the flood barrier structure of theinvention has been installed.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the barrier installation of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view as taken generally on line 3-3 of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view illustrating certaindetails of horizontal and vertical clamping arrangements incorporated inthe structure of the invention.

FIG. 5A is an enlarged, fragmentary cross sectional view illustratingthe manner in which an interlocking barrier element according to theinvention is positioned for installation.

FIG. 5B is a view similar to FIG. 5A, showing the barrier element afterbeing pivoted into installed position and engaged at the top byvertically acting clamping means.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a vertical rail elementprovided at each side of the opening to slideably position the variousclamping elements incorporated into the structure.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a preferred form ofsealing element utilized in the flood barrier of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designatesgenerally a building structure having a large door opening 11 thereinwhich extends upward from a floor or threshold 12. A flood barrierassembly 13 (FIGS. 1 and 3) constructed in accordance with the inventionis shown as installed in the doorway 11 to provide a barrier againstinundation by flood waters. The barrier is comprised of a plurality ofindividual, horizontally elongated barrier elements 14, stacked one ontop of the other and extending across the full width of the door opening11. As will become apparent, a flood barrier of any suitable height maybe constructed, within the maximum capacity of the installation, byassembling a predetermined number of the barrier elements 14 in avertical stack.

In the illustrated form of the invention, vertical rails 15, 16 aremounted on the front face of the building structure 10, at each side ofthe door opening 11. Typically, the rails 15 are permanently attached tothe building structure and are bedded with suitable calking or othermaterial to provide a watertight seal between the backs of the rails andthe front surface of the building structure.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inside edges of the rails 15, 16 areprovided with dovetailed channels 17 for reception of a resilientsealing element, such as illustrated at 18 in FIG. 7. The sealingelement extends vertically over the full working height of each of therails 15, 16 and provides a resilient surface against which back walls19 of the barrier elements 14 can be pressed to form a continuous sealat the side edges of the structure. Bottom flange portions 20 of thebarrier elements are provided with similar dovetailed channels 21 forreceiving horizontally disposed sealing elements 18 extending across thefull length of each of the barrier elements 14. As will be described inmore detail, this provides for effective sealing between each of thebarrier elements and its vertically adjacent neighboring barrier elementto provide a highly effective, waterproof flood barrier for the dooropening 11.

Pursuant to the invention, the individual barrier elements 14 can beextruded of a lightweight material, such as aluminum, with a uniformcross section throughout. The barrier elements are generally of aC-shaped cross section comprised of generally flat, vertical back wallportions 22 and forwardly extending upper and lower flange portions 23,24. As a significant feature, the upper and lower flange portions 23, 24are configured to provide a mutual mechanical interlock betweenvertically adjacent barrier elements, to both simplify assembly of aplurality of the barrier elements into a complete barrier structure, andto provide for a stronger and more stable structure during and after theassembly process. To this end, the upper flange portion 23 is comprisedof a generally flat, forwardly extending back portion 25, a generallyvertical riser 26, and a forwardly projecting upper flange portion 27.Preferably, the forward extremity of the upper flange portion 27 isrounded, as indicated at 28.

The bottom flange portion 24 of the barrier element is comprised of arelatively thick, downwardly extending extension 20, which includes thedovetailed slot 21 and mounts the sealing element 18. A forwardlyextending base flange 29, extends forwardly from the extension 20 andterminates in a vertically downwardly extending flange 30. As shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, the inside corner between the lower flange elements 29,30 is recessed with a concave, generally circular contour to form asocket 31, arranged to receive the rounded forward extremity 28 of theupper flange 27 of an adjacent, lower barrier element. The arrangementis such that, when building a barrier structure by assembling individualbarrier elements 14 one on top of another, starting at the bottom, a newbarrier element can be seated against a previously installed element inthe manner shown in FIG. 5A, with the forwardly projecting flange edge28 seated in the recessed socket 31 of the new element. The new elementis thus properly aligned and supported on the previously installedelement while in a forwardly tilted orientation, illustrated in FIG. 5A.When the new barrier element is thus seated, it can be pivotedrearwardly until the bottom surface of the flange 29 overlies the topsurface of the flange 27. In this position, shown in FIG. 5B, theresilient sealing element 18 is compressed against the surface 25 of theadjacent lower barrier element, to form a tight seal between the twoelements. The forward portions of the flanges 23, 24 are interlocked byengagement of the rounded outer end 28 with the concave socket 31, asshown in FIG. 5B, providing significant rigidity to the assembledstructure.

In the co-pending application of Jason W. Smith, individual barrierelements are clamped at their respective opposite ends by clampingelements mounted on side rails, and the entire vertical stack of barrierelements is compressed downwardly by vertically acting clamping elementsengaging the uppermost element. That same general arrangement isfollowed in the structure of the present invention, with certainsignificant improvements being provided to facilitate and expedite theinstallation of a flood barrier structure, which often must be done onan emergency basis, and also to facilitate the subsequent dismantlingand removal of the structure after a flood threat subsides. To this end,each of the vertical side rails 15, 16 is provided with a verticalchannel 32 partially closed by two front flanges 33, 34 (FIG. 6) to forma vertical slot 35. Clamping bolts 36, provided with square bases 37,are slideably but non-rotatably received in the vertical channels 32.Each of the bolts 36 (with the exception of the uppermost one, to belater described) pivotally mounts a clamping bar 38 and a threadedtightening knob 39. The clamping bars 38 are freely pivotable on thebolts 36, and are of sufficient length that, when pivoted into ahorizontal position, one end overlies a projecting flange 40 at theouter edge of each of the rails 15, 16, while the other end of theclamping bar overlies an end portion of an adjacent barrier element 14.

After each barrier element is initially positioned in the structure, aclamping assembly, comprising a bolt 36, clamping bar 38 and tighteningknob 39 is inserted into the upper end of the rail channel 32 and sliddownward to a position opposite the open end of the recently positionedbarrier element. The clamping bar 38 is then pivoted from a verticalposition to a horizontal position, with its inner end overlying the endof the barrier element 14, as generally shown in FIG. 2. The clampingbar can then be tightened by means of the knob 39 to press the barrierelement against the vertical sealing element extending up the insideedge of the rails 15 or 16. During the initial assembly process, theclamping bars 38 are adjusted to press only lightly against the front ofthe barrier element, to securely hold it in assembled position, whileaccommodating subsequent limited downward movement when verticalcompression is applied to the entire stack of barrier elements.

After the uppermost barrier element has been installed and lightlyclamped, vertically acting clamping assemblies are installed in each ofthe side rails 15, 16. The vertically acting clamping assemblies, shownbest in FIG. 4, comprise a support bar 41 formed along its back sidewith a contoured recess 42 shaped to fit closely with the configurationof the vertical rails 15, 16 and preferably to overlap the opposite sideedges of the rails. A bolt assembly 43 has its base 36 insertedvertically into the rail channel 32 and slid downward to a positionslightly above the uppermost barrier element 14. A bolt 44 extendsthrough the support bar 41 and engages a tightening knob 45. Thisarrangement allows the clamping assembly to be moved to a suitableposition above the uppermost barrier element, with the support bar 41spaced a few inches above the surface 25 of the uppermost barrierelement. The knob 45 is then tightened to secure the assembly inposition.

At the inner end of the support bar 41 is a screw clamp 46 whichthreadedly engages the support bar 41 and has a clamping pad 47 at itslower end engaging the surface 25. When the clamping assembly ispositioned as shown in FIG. 4, the threaded screw clamps 46 at each sideare tightened, to press downwardly on the uppermost barrier element 14.This applies vertical clamping pressure throughout the entire stack ofbarrier elements, to assure good sealing between vertically adjacentelements. When vertically acting clamping pressure is applied bytightening of the elements 46, the support bar 41 is prevented fromrotating by engagement of the side edges of the recesses 42 with theirrespective side rails 15, 16. This action also tends to lock the supportbar 41 securely in its adjusted position.

After tightening of the vertically acting clamping elements 46, thevarious horizontal clamping bars 38 are tightened -to press theindividual barrier elements snugly against the sealing element 18extending vertically up the front face of each of the rails 15, 16.

To advantage, the sealing elements 18 (FIG. 7) are formed of a highdensity neoprene closed cell sponge material 48, formed with an outerskin 49 and preferably with an elongated hollow portion 50. Along oneside, the sealing element is formed with a deformable projection 51. Thedescribed form of sealing element, accommodates significant compression,so that highly effective sealing is assured. Additionally, the outerskin 49 provides resistance to scuffing, which is beneficial given thatthe barrier elements may be installed, uninstalled and stored numeroustimes during their working life.

To particular advantage, the lower front flange portion 30 of thebarrier element 14 projects downwardly to a level below the bottomsurface 52 of the back lower flange portion 20, but above the lowersurface 53 (FIG. 5A) of the sealing element 18 mounted in the flangeportion 20, when the sealing element is in a relaxed state. Thisconfiguration allows the lowermost barrier element 14 a (FIG. 3) to beplaced directly on the threshold surface 54. With the flange portion 30resting on the threshold surface 54, and the vertical back wall 22 ofthe barrier element positioned flat against the side rails 15, 16, thesealing element 18 of the lowermost barrier element 14 a is tightlycompressed against the threshold surface 54. With this arrangement, thelowermost barrier element 14 may in many cases be placed directly on thesurface of a flat concrete threshold, avoiding the need for installing aspecial flat steel threshold, for example.

The flood barrier structure of the present invention has importantadvantages over known structures. Of particular importance, theinterlocking configuration of the individual barrier logs not onlyexpedites the assembly operations required to install a flood barrier,but enables the individual barrier elements to be of a lighterconstruction. As a result, the individual barrier elements are lighterin weight and easier to handle during installation and removaloperations. Additionally, and importantly, the barrier elements are lesscostly, making the system more attractive in the marketplace.

The barrier structure of the invention significantly facilitates theinstallation of flood barriers of any desired height, to suit theexpected flooding conditions. Moreover, should conditions be expected toworsen, after an initial installation of a partial height barrier, thebarrier height may be quickly increased by adding one or more barrierelements to the top of the existing stack. For both installation andremoval of the structure, the clamping mechanisms, can be slid into orout of the vertical channels provided. When dismantling the barrierassembly, the clamping facilities are entirely removed from the siderails 15, 16, leaving only relatively plain, low profile side rails,free of projections and the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the specific forms of theinvention herein illustrated and described are intended to berepresentative only, as certain changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly,reference should be made to the following appended claims in determiningthe full scope of the invention.

1. In a flood barrier system for sealing an opening in a wall structureagainst the inflow of flood waters and of the type which comprises (a) aplurality of elongated barrier elements of a length greater than a widthof the opening, (b) said barrier elements having front and back sidesand being oriented horizontally and stacked vertically one upon theother with their back sides against an outer face of said wall structureto form a flood barrier, (c) said barrier elements being positioned withopposite end portions thereof over-lapping outer surfaces of said wallstructure laterally adjacent opposite sides of said opening, (d) ahorizontal support surface for a lowermost one of said barrier elementsextending for the width of said opening, (e) horizontally actingclamping elements engaging the end portions of said barrier elements forretaining back surface portions of said end portions in sealingrelationship with said outer surfaces of said wall structure overlappedthereby, and (f) vertically acting pressure clamps mounted on said wallstructure and positioned above an uppermost one of said barrier elementsto bear downwardly upon said uppermost barrier element and thereby uponthe entire plurality of stacked barrier elements to provide a sealbetween vertically adjacent barrier elements and between said lowermostbarrier element and said support surface, the improvement characterizedby (g) said barrier elements being formed with mutually interlocking topand bottom configurations whereby upper portions of first barrierelements are mechanically interlocked in a front-to-back direction withlower portions of second barrier elements positioned directly above andsupported on said first barrier elements, (h) the bottom configurationof a barrier element comprising spaced apart front and back downwardlyprojecting portions and the top configuration of said barrier elementcomprising an upwardly facing sealing surface adjacent the back side ofsaid element, a first portion extending upward from a forward edge ofsaid sealing surface, and a second portion extending forwardly andengageable with the front downwardly projecting portion of a secondbarrier element positioned immediately above to interconnect with andform a pivot for said second barrier element.
 2. A flood barrier systemaccording to claim 1, wherein (a) said front and back downwardlyprojecting portions comprise a downwardly projecting front flange at thefront side of the barrier element, a downwardly projecting back flangeat the back side of the barrier element, and a downwardly facing supportextends between upper portions of said front and back flanges, (b) thetop configuration of said barrier elements comprises a support flangepositioned to underlie the downwardly facing support of a barrierelement positioned immediately above, a horizontally disposed sealingsurface extending rearwardly of said support flange and underlying thedownwardly projecting back flange of a second barrier element positionedimmediately above, and an upwardly extending portion connecting aforward portion of said sealing surface with a rearward portion of saidsupport flange, and (c) a resilient sealing element is mounted at abottom of said back flange and positioned to establish pressureengagement between the sealing element of the second barrier elementwith the sealing surface of the first barrier element positionedimmediately below when said second barrier element is positioned overand engaging the support flange of said first barrier element.
 3. Aflood barrier system according to claim 2, wherein (a) said front flangeprojects downwardly a distance greater than said back flange, and saidresilient sealing element, when in an uncompressed configuration,projects downward below a bottom edge of said front flange.
 4. A floodbarrier system according to claim 2, wherein (a) said support flangeextends forwardly and is formed with a projecting forward edge, (b) thebottom configuration of said barrier elements includes a socket formedin the front flange closely adjacent to the support flange for thereception of said projecting forward edge, whereby when two verticallyadjacent barrier elements are assembled together, the forward portionsof said barrier elements are vertically interlocked, and (c) saidvertically acting pressure clamps are positioned to act principally uponback portions of said barrier elements.
 5. A flood barrier systemaccording to claim 4, wherein (a) said projecting forward edge is formedwith rounded convex contours, and (b) said socket is formed with roundedconcave contours, (c) whereby an upper barrier element can be assembledwith a lower barrier element by inserting the projecting forward edge ofthe lower barrier element into the socket of the upper barrier elementand pivoting the upper barrier element about said forward edge until thesealing element of the upper barrier element seats against the sealingsurface of the lower barrier element.
 6. A flood barrier systemaccording to claim 2, wherein (a) said sealing element of formed of aclosed cell neoprene foam material, (b) said downwardly projecting backflange is formed in a central region thereof with a downwardly openingdovetail channel extending along the length of the barrier element, and(c) said sealing element is formed with an upwardly projecting dovetailrib lockingly received in said dovetail channel.
 7. A flood barriersystem according to claim 1, wherein (a) vertical rails are mounted insealed relation to the front face of said wall structure adjacent toside edges of the opening therein, (b) said rails are formed with firstand second vertical channels therein positioned adjacent inside andoutside side edges respectively of said rails, (c) vertical sealingstrips are received in said first vertical channels and extend frombottom extremities of said rails to a level equal or higher than amaximum height of a barrier system to be constructed, (d) said secondvertical channels being formed with front flanges extending fromopposite sides of the channels toward the centers thereof and defining arestricted channel openings, (e) a plurality of bolt bases slideably andnon-rotatably received in said second vertical channels, each with athreaded bolt extending forwardly through the restricted channelopenings, (f) said horizontally acting clamping elements includeclamping bars received on said bolts and tightening nuts received onsaid bolts in front of said clamping bars, (g) said bolts and bolt basesbeing slideable vertically in said second vertical channels to positionthe clamping bar thereon opposite an end of a barrier element, (h) saidclamping bars being rotatable on the bolts such that the clamping barsmay be pivoted into a position with one end bearing on a front-facingsurface of a barrier element and an opposite end bearing on afront-facing surface of a vertical rail, whereby said barrier elementmay be forcibly compressed against the sealing element in said rail. 8.A flood barrier system according to claim 7, wherein (a) said barrierelements are of a generally C-shaped configuration comprising upper andlower portions and a vertical portion joining said upper and lowerportions, and (b) said vertical portion has a flat back surfaceengageable with the vertical sealing elements on said vertical rails anda front surface engageable at opposite ends by said clamping bars.
 9. Aflood barrier system according to claim 7, wherein (a) a pair ofuppermost clamping bars are positioned on bolts and bolt bases inuppermost portions of said second vertical channels, (b) said uppermostclamping bars cooperate with said vertical rails to restrain rotation ofsaid uppermost clamping bars about the bolts on which they arepositioned, (c) inner portions of said uppermost clamping bars extendover the tops of an uppermost one of said barrier elements, and (d) eachof said uppermost clamping bars includes a vertically acting pressureclamp adjustable to bear downward on said uppermost barrier element toapply vertical pressure to a stack of barrier elements forming a floodbarrier.
 10. A flood barrier system according to claim 9, wherein, (a)said uppermost clamping bars, along with the bolts and bolt bases onwhich they are positioned, are vertically movable in said secondvertical channels to positions closely overlying the uppermost barrierelement in a stack thereof, and (b) said uppermost clamping bars are atleast partially self-locking in any vertically adjusted positions onsaid vertical rails upon the application of vertically acting pressureto said uppermost barrier element.
 11. A flood barrier system forsealing an opening in a wall structure against the inflow of floodwaters, which comprises (a) a plurality of elongated barrier elements ofextruded, generally c-shaped cross section, (b) each of said barrierelements comprising, in cross section, a bottom flange structure, a topflange structure, and a generally flat back wall structure extendingbetween said top and bottom flange structures, (c) said bottom flangestructure comprising spaced apart, downwardly extending front and backflange portions and a connecting flange portion extending between upperportions of said front and back flange portions, (d) said top flangestructure comprising a first, generally horizontal flange portionextending forwardly from said back wall structure and arranged tounderlie the back flange portion of a barrier element positioneddirectly above, a second flange portion extending upwardly from aforward edge of said first flange portion, and a third flange portionextending forwardly from an upper edge of said second flange portion,(e) said third flange portion of said top flange structure beinginterlockingly engageable with the bottom flange structure of avertically adjacent barrier element positioned directly above andforming a pivot connection therewith, (f) a resilient sealing elementcarried by one of said generally horizontal flange portion or said backflange portion to effect sealing engagement between vertically adjacentbarrier elements, and (g) vertically acting pressure clamps positionedto bear upon portions of an uppermost barrier element spaced rearward ofsaid pivot connection.
 12. A flood barrier system according to claim 11,wherein (a) the front flange portion of said bottom flange structure hasa bottom edge positioned below a bottom surface of the back flangeportion of said bottom flange structure, (b) said resilient sealingelement is mounted on the bottom surface of said back flange portion,(c) said resilient sealing element, in an uncompressed conditionthereof, having a bottom surface portion positioned below the bottomedge of said front flange portion.
 13. A flood barrier system accordingto claim 12, wherein (a) said wall structure opening is defined in partby a threshold surface, (b) a lowermost one of said barrier elements issupported on said threshold surface with said back wall structureextending substantially vertically, said front flange portion resting onsaid threshold and said sealing element being supported on saidthreshold in a partially compressed condition to form a seal with saidthreshold.
 14. A flood barrier system according to claim 12, wherein (a)the front and connecting flange portions of said bottom flange structuredefine a longitudinally extending socket structure in a region at whichsaid flange portions are joined, (b) the third flange portion of saidtop flange structure having a forward edge portion receivable in thesocket structure of the bottom flange structure of a barrier elementpositioned directly above for interlockingly joining a first barrierelement with a second barrier element positioned directly above thefirst barrier element.
 15. A flood barrier system according to claim 14,wherein (a) the forward edge of said top flange structure and saidsocket structure being formed with complimentary curved contours wherebysaid second barrier element can be engaged with and pivoted with respectto said first barrier element.